Hi everyone! This thread is about a bunch of women who are tired of paying money to others to tell them how to lose weight. We've all been through several different fad diets and decided enough! We all know that to lose or maintain your weight you need to watch your caloric intake and exercise! Please join us for support and humor. We'd love to hear from you! If you want to catch up on us see the thread "any other calorie counters out there?"

Lisa- Thank you, thank you, thank you! Of course I wasn't offended! I needed the pep talk. I did great yesterday. It's amazing how we're able to bounce back after a bad spell. I love the beginning of the month. It's a way to make a fresh start! Let's all make it a fantastic month of May!

Thanks for the new thread. I hope we have a lot more counters join our board.
I'm really feeling defeated today, so I hope there are a lot of good, motivating posts today and throughout the week. It's really hard when you have been losing steadily and then hit a brick wall. I know it is a normal part of losing weight, but it is hard to keep my spirits up when nothing has happened in a week and a half. If any one has any ideas, please respond! Thanks.
Ramona

It is so hard when the scales don't show a loss. How often do you weigh yourself? I try to only weigh in once a week. Maybe you can focus on other things besides the scale. How are your clothes fitting? Do you have more energy? If you been doing all the right things (or most of the right things) you will see the scale go down, sometimes it just takes a while to catch up, especially if you been losing for a while. Maybe you could read some inspiring mags or wt loss books and of course come to the 3fat sight as often as possible.

You know what this is such a great motivating group.
When I first came to this board I enjoyed reading other threads but often wonder with all the WW threads, Richard Simmons thread, Larry North, Slim Fast, Why weren't there any calorie counter thread? Someone must of read my mind cause it popped up.

Hi Ramona! Try shaking up your exercise routine a little. If you walk, try adding a minute of jogging every once in a while. Try jump roping for a few minutes, too. That burns a lot of calories!
Or you may try adding even an extra 5 minutes to your exercise time. The extra calories you burn will add up. Just a thought!

I'm going to walk 75 miles this month. I've only got 72.5 miles to go!

I kept my calories in check today. I kept busy so I wouldn't snack! Happy, healthy eating to you all!
Laura

What calorie range do all of you try and stay at? I am trying to lose a few pounds at this time so I been around 1100 most days and I always eat more on the weekends. I am pretty much at my goal but I seem to gain 2-3 pounds every time I turn around. My exercise is minimin, walking is about it. Any input would be appreciated.

Oh, it's absoulutely beautiful outside today. We had a little bit of rain last night, and everything smells wonderful. Puts me in a great frame of mind.

Laura: WTG on keeping on top of the calorie counting. I didn't do all that great yesterday, I went over my calorie intake by 300 calories, but I took my dog for a mile walk and mowed the grass (45 minute job), so I'm not beating myself up over it. I would have before, but no more. I'm glad the pep talk worked. Just remember, when I'm in a funk, please give me a kick in the rear and get me motivated again.

Ramona: I had just read that it takes your body 6 months for your new way of eating to "stick" and it's more difficult than you can imagine to go back to old eating ways. Hubby and I've cut back on fattier foods, and over the past weekend I bought frozen hamburger patties (80% lean) they were on sale, and boy did he and I pay. We both cramped up and were running to the bathroom. I've noticed that "side-effect" since we've cut calories and paid just a little more attention to the fat content.
Also, now again, I read this in a health magazine, maybe it was Prevention, not sure, but when you hit the plateau, it's because your body is adjusting to the new way of eating and exercising and just keep up doing what you've been doing and even as Emril would say, "Kick it up a notch" once a week, and/or add an extra 5 minutes, or while you're walking, jog for a few minutes, walk a few, alternate, that helped me.

Daytona1: I'm 5' 8 1/2" and I'm supposed to have around 1400 calories a day. I try and fluctuate it by 200 calories. My Dr. told me that depending on your bone / muscle structure and activity level will determine your calorie intake. Too little of an intake, you'll gain all that's lost plus more when you start eating more.

The 200 calorie fluctuation is: If your intake for the day is 1400, one day have 1200, the next 1400, the next 1200 or even 1000, the next day have 1400, etc... it's supposed to keep your metabolism "guessing" and not getting used to a certain amount day in and day out. A personal trainer told me this - a friends brother, I don't have a personal trainer, and this seems to be helping.

Well, I best get going and I apologize for rambling on and on, but I hope everyone stays well and has a great day!

Daytona1-
you probably shouldn't eat less than 1200 calories per day. Your body may go into starve mode and hang onto every ounce it can. By feeding it a little more but exercising instead you'll have more energy and may burn more calories than the extra you're eating. There are 1600 calories in pound. That means you have to exercise to burn off those extra calories. Try adding 5-10 minutes to your exercise routine or try jump-roping for a few minutes after a walk. That's a fantastic calorie burner. Before you know it they will be falling off you! Good luck!
I try to stay below 1500 calories per day. I am 5'2", weigh 145lbs. and am shooting for 120lbs. I lost 6 pounds last month. I feel pretty good about this because I don't feel like I'm starving and figure I'll be able to keep it off.

I think the starvation mode thing may be happening to me. I'm 41 so I go back to the old school when our mothers counted calories and the less the better! I really slowed down as far as losing and the less I lose the more I cut down on my eating. I think I was just programed to do that. Also, I find myself just plain not wanting to eat. I've been eating a lot of the same foods and I think I'm just bored with it! Some days I know I've barely gotten to 1000 calories. Today, I will try to eat at least 1300 and see what happens. Keep posting everyone. I work with all men all day long and have only men in my family. My women friends have all moved away and it really helps me to have all of you to visit with. Thanks!
Ramona

I keep studing allot of recipe and different things ya can do with food and stuff with out it becoming to boring. I have been adding this to my site that I haven't finished yet. but I think it would be neat to share ideas in what food we have been eatting. Either main course or a snack! Different ways of making things with the same piece of food. For example

There is this bag of Grilled chicken breast strips I buy over at Sam's It is about 120 cal per 3 oz which is a fairly good amount of meat in my book. I have done different things with this chicken meat from using it as side meats with veggies, Taco makings, buritos, enchaladas, and has work great for a bake potato makings instead of using turkey ham or bacon bits it has worked real great as a bake potato topping. Just endless possablities with this bag of chicken strips.

Taco idea: Get your chicken strips cooked, weigh out 120 cal worth, buy Elchalada taco shells. each shell 50 cal a piece, I take one slice of cheese and tare it in three pieces to put in three taco shells, I'll buy a bag of BirdsEye green bell pepper and onion in a bag and defrost them or warm them in the skillet with a little bit of pam spay, sprinkle few in my taco, Some Rotel Salsa, and lettuce. Out of the three tacos I calculated the calories at 337cal

It's good to find other people counting calories !!!
I started April 1st and I want to lose 13 pounds
for July 1st. The first week I lost 3 pounds but since then it's been 1/2 or 1 pound a week.
I can relate to Daytona1. I really am not into exercising.
The maddenig part is that my husband lost 13 pounds in 1 month & I lost 5 1/2 and he wasn't even trying.
( I just cook much heathier now.I keep a journal and write everyting I eat to keep track of those calories.
I stay below 1500 calories but I kind of cheat on week- ends.I drink a lot of water;they say that it's suppose to help;any comments ?
Nice to meet other calorie counting dieters.
I thought I was a lost breed or too old fashion.

I stick around between the 1,200 to 1,400 cal range.
Water is very important. It is not only important in losing weight it also important to your body as well. I have found out since I wing my self off of Diet soda pops cause I would really drink a whole lot of them. Heck I lived off of them. I found out that if I can drink up to 6 to 8 12oz glass of water, I become less thursty during my work out. Mostly I walk. I find walking being the best, less boring, and easiest to do plus I love being outside. My exercise concest anywhere from Walking first priority, to playing fetch for an hour with my dog, swimming sometimes this summer, to working out on exercise machines my least favorite cause I can get bored with it for a while or get distracted!